Refrigerating apparatus



A118- 24, 1943o L. M. KEIGHLEY v 2,327,649

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Ce/1 i l d INVENTOR. 21g 4 un Af. Kfm/mcy.

Aug. 24, 1943. 1 M. KEIGHLEY 2,327,649

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1941 4' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR.

atented Angl, 2, i943 nerr este raarste entretenant; irritantes lLioydl liti. Keighley, Dayton, malo, assigner to General Motors corporation, Dayton, ethic, a

corporation et mella-ware sanitation anita is, ien, senat Nt. esteri (ci. armrest (Claims,

This invention relates to refrigeration and par ticularly to bottled beverage storage and refrigerating apparatuses.

Bottled beverage cooling apparatuses, particulariy oi the dry storage type, usually include a horizontally eiongated compartment in which the bottles are piecedand cold air circulated there= over for cooling the contents thereof. it has heretofore heen didcult to provide a rapid and uni-torni circrlation of cold air over the bottles in such apparatuses. For example, ii air is circulated from one end to the other end o a horlzon tally elongated bottle storage and cooling compertinent, it results in the bottles at one end of compartment being colder than bottles at the other end thereof. lThis ordinarily requires the dispensing ci bottled beverages iront. one end of an elongated storage compartment in order to insure that the beverage being served is sum= ciently cooled. neturtherinore, bottled beverage storing and cooling apparatuses ci the type de scribed, usually have sheet metal air circulating ducts or battles disposed in the bottle storage compertinent. Sheet rnetal barlies or ducts within a bottle storage compartment, in addition to oc cupying valuable space therein, also becomes de= formed and damaged by the bottles and this deformation of the baies or ducts impairs the circulation of air therethrough. i contemplate the provision or" means for rapidly and uniformly cooling bottled beverages stored in an elongated compartment Without locating conduits or duct forming partitions or badles within the compart rnent.

An object of my invention is to provide an iinproved air circulation Within a dry bottled `bev-s orage storage compartment.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bottled beverage storing and cooling apparatus with a novel air circulatingduct system Which is located entirely on the outside of the bottle compartment and associatedy with the bottom wall thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved duct system associated with the bottom of a horizontally elongated bottled beverage storing and cooling compartment which system is arranged to cause air circulated therethrough r erage storage compartment which 1s arranged to supplypv a plurality of relatively short streams' oi. cold air transversely through the compartment, over and eronnd bottled goods stored therein so as to reduce the path oi tiovv of the render e and consequently tempera ture within compartment incre i crm.

IFurther el acts and advantages et c present inventicn will ice apparent from the allowing de scription, ie-rence lacing had to the accom panying wherein a preferred forni oi the present invention is clearly shown.

in the i is `p view oi reirigerating apparatus constincted in accordance with my invention, with the doer the hottie storage compartment removed; l

Ttigc i. a vertice-i sectional vien' of the reirigg eratirig taken on the line Emil ci Fig. l;

Fig. d a vertical sectional vievr of reiriffw erating apparatus teilten on the line ci Fig. 2, showing the ccoli lg element containing chamher oi a duct system associated with the apparatus; and l Fig., d is a sectional view oi the refrigerating apparatus taken on the line ffl-fl of Fig. i, show ing spaced apart conduits of the duct system asm sociateol with the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating my invention, l have shown in Fig. l thereof, a dry bottled beverage storage and reirigerating` apparatus comprising a horizontally elongated, generally rectangularly-shaped cabinet Gabinet iii includes a bottom ll, side it and end metal Walls it, forming a horizontally elongated opentop compartment lftthereln. The cabinet also includes outer finished metal panels or walls l@ and any suitable insulating material il (see Fig. 2) disposed between the compartment lining walls il, i2 and it, and the outer Walls it. A door or doors it normally close the open top of compartment it and afford access to the interior thereof. The outer walls it of cabinet i@ depend beyond the bottomy wall il, of the insulated compartment it, to 'provide the cabinet with a machine compartment it below compartment it for the reception of a motor-compressor unit of a refrigerating system. The metal liner walls of compartment it are spaced from the metal top of cabinet lil by an insulating breaker or molding` strip 2i, as is conventional and well known to those familiar with the refrigerator cabinet art.

The means for cooling and circulating air within cabinet i0, in order Ato chill bottled beverages, indicated by the numeral 23, within compartment H thereof, includes means associated with the its teinperat bottom wall II, of compartment I4 which means forms a duct system within thel cabinet. The duct system forming means comprises a horizontally disposed sheetl metal structure secured to and cooperating with the metal bottom wall II of compartment I4, to provide air circulating passages therebelow. The sheet metal duct forming structure includes walls 26 forming a chamber 21, which extends transversely across the bottom of compartment I4 intermediate the end walls I3 thereof. The sheet metal duct forming structure also includes walls 23 extending longitudinally of the cabinet along the compartment bottom wall I I to form a conduit 29 adjacent one side wall I2, of the compartment I4, and a conduit3| horizontally spaced from the conduit 29 and disposed adjacent the other side .wall of compartment I4 (see Fig. 4). .The central portion of conduit 29 is connected with one end of cham- -ber 21 and the central portion of conduit 3| is connected with the other or opposite end of chamber 21. Walls 26, of conduits 29 and 3|,

of chamber 21, so as not to impede circulation of air through the air duct system. Bottle storage compartment bottom wall II has a plurality of spaced apart apertures 33 therein providing the ducts or conduits 29 and 3|, with a plurality of spaced apart openings communicating with the interior of compartment I4 along the longitudinal side walls I2 thereof. The apertures 33 may be of any suitable contour or design and are disclosed as rectangularly-shaped openings which are progressively wider than one another from a point adjacent an end of chamber' 21 to a point adjacent the ends of the ducts or conduits 29 and 3|. A fan or blower 361s located within the duct system forming means and is preferably disposed within the chamber 21. An electric motor`31 is located within thev machine compartment I9 of cabinet I and has a shaft 38, projecting through the insulation I1 and a wall 26 of chamber 21, connected to the fan or blower 36 for operating same. A closed refrigerating system is associated with the apparatus and comprises a motor 4I, operatively connected to a compressor 42, a condenser 43 and a finned-type evaporator 44. The motor, compressor and condenser constitute a refrigerant compressing and liquefying unit mounted within the machine compartment I9 of cabinet I0, and the evaporating portion of the refrigerating system comprises the evaporator 44 which is disposed within the transverse chamber 21 of the duct forming means. Suitable pipes or refrigerant conveying conduits extend from the compressor 42 to the condenser 43, from the condenser 43 to the evaporator 44, and from the evaporator 44 to the compressor 42 to form a closed refrigerant circuit as is conventional in the art. An expansion valve or the like device 46 is interposed in the conduit leading from the condenser 43 to the evaporator 44 for controlling the flow of refrigerant, cooled and liquefied in the condenser 43, in any suitable or conventional manner, into the evaporator. A control switch (not shown) for the refrigerating system may be may be curved at their juncture with walls 26 In order to cool or chill the bottled beverages 23, stored within compartment I4 of cabinet III,

the refrigerating system is operated to cause evaporator 44 to produce a refrigerating effect within the chamber 21 of the duct forming means or structure. Operation of fan or blower 36, by motor 31, causes air to be dravvn from one side of the elongated compartment 'I4 along the length thereof, through the pluralityof spaced apart openings 33 in compartment bottom wall I I into conduit 3| and into the chamber 21. The air, upon entering chamber 21, is forced by the blower 36 between the ns of evaporator 44 and over the coils thereof to reduce its ,temperature and this -air is then circulated outwardly of chamber 21 into the conduit 29 through the openings 33 thereof, into the bottle storage compartment I4. 'Ihe bottles 23 are preferably horizontally disposed'and arranged one on top of another in two rows extending longitudinally within the elongated compartment I4. The necks of the bottles 23, of each row thereof, are adjacent the .side walls' I2 of compartment I4 and this arrangement provides ample space for the flow of air upwardly into compartment I4 from the conduit 29. The larger or bottom portion of the bottles 23 afford some resistance to the flow Y of co-1d` air thereover and through the spaces employed to start and stop motor 4| and consebetween the bottles and this resistance diverts some of the cold air upwardly within compartment I4 to insure cooling of the`uppermost bottles. In other words, the more bottles that are stacked upon each other the more the air will 'flow upwardly within compartment I4 to thusinsure cooling of all the bottled beverages regardless of the height of the stack of bottles. Air flows transversely and entirely across the horizontally elongated storage -compartment I4 in a plurality of divided streams along the length thereof. over and around the bottled beverages 23, stored therein, to cool the contents of the bottles. Heat extracted from the bottled beverages is carried by the air drawn into the warm air or return conduit 3| back tothe cooling chamber 21 where the heat is given off to the cooling element or evaporator 44 of the refrigerating system and dissipated to the air exteriorily of compartment I4. The plurality of relatively short paths or streams of air flowing transversely across the elongated bottle storage compartment per/mits the air to be maintained at a more uniform temperature and insures uniform cooling of the bottles throughout the length of the elongated compartment. Any suitable or desirable drain arrangement can be provided for conveying moisture, which may find its way into the air ducts or passages, away from the apparatus.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an improved bottled beverage storing and cooling apparatus wherein the bottle storage compartment thereof is uniformly cooled from one end to the other end thereof. In my improved apparatus bottled beverages may be served from any portion of the storage compartment with the assurance that 'bottles removed from one portion of the compartment will be cooled to the same low temperature as bottles removed from another portion of the compartment provided, of course, that all of the bottles have been in the compartment over the same period of time. The provision of outlets and inlets for the conduits of the duct system which are of increased size toward the ends of the conduits insures even circulation and even distribution of the cold air within the storage comassente pertinent to thereby edectively and rapidly cool bottles placed therein. By the air duct system or arrangement disclosed, I obviate the necessity of placing conduits, baflies or partitions within the bottle compartment of bottled beverage coolers since thesystem or arrangement is in its entirety associated with and located below the bottom wall of the horizontally elongated comi partment.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it -is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope oi' the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A dry bottled beverage storing and refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet having a bottom, side and end walls forming an elongated open top 'compartment therein, a door or doors normally closing the open top of said compartment, means cooperating with the bottom of said compartment and forming a duct system within said cabinet, said duct system including a chamber extending transversely across the bottom ci' said elongated compartment within the area dened by the vertical projection of said compartment side and end walls, said duct system including a lrst conduit ent-ending longitudinally of the cabinet along the bottom of said compartment, said rst conduit communicating with said compartment and being connected to one end of said chamber, said duct system also including a second conduit ex-l tending longitudinally of the cabinet along the bottom or said compartment in spaced apart relation to said iirst conduit, said second conduit communicating with said compartment and being connected to the other enel oi' said chamber, a cooling element oi a reirigerating system disposed in said duct system forming means, means adapted to circulate air through said duct system forming means, and means for operating said circulating, means to cause same to circulate air from said compartment through one ci conduits into said chamber and for forcing the out of said chamber through the other conduit into said compartment whereby the air hows transversely across saidelongated comm partrnent.

2. .il dry bottled beverage storing and refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a

cabinethaving a bottom, side and end Wallsu 4forming an elongated open top compartment therein, a door or doors normally closing the open top oi said compartment, means cooperating with the bottom of said compartment and forming a duct system within said cabinet, said duct system including a chamber extending transversely across the bottom of said elongated compartment intermediate the ends thereof, said duct system including a first conduit extending along the bottom or` said compartment adjacent one of the side walls thereof, said rst conduit A communicating with said compartment and having its central portion connected to one end of said chamber, said duct system also including a second conduit extending along the bottom of said compartment adjacent the other side wall thereof, 'said second conduit communicating with said compartment and having its central prtion connected to the other end of said chamber,

a cooling element of a reirigerating system dis.

posed in said chamber, means disposed in said chamber and adapted to circulate air through said duct system forming means, and means for operating said circulating means to cause same to circulate air from said compartment through one of said conduits into said chamber and for forcing the air out of said chamber through the other Aconduit into said compartment whereby the air ows transversely across said elongated compartment.

3, A dry bottled beverage storing and refrig- .erating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet' having a bottom, side and end walls Vforming an elongated open top compartment therein, a door or doors normally closing the open top of said compartment, means cooperating with the bottom wall of said compartment and forming a duct system within said cabinet, said duct system including a chamber extending transversely acrossl the bottom of said compartment within the` area defined by the vertical projection of said compartment side and end Walls, said duct system including a iirst conduit connected to one end of said chamber and extending longitudinally along the bottom of said compartment, said duct'system also including a second conduit connected to the other end of said chamber and extending longitudinally along the bottom of said compartment in spaced apart relation to said irst conduit, said bottom wall of said. compartment having a plurality of spaced apart apertures therein providing said conduits with openings communicating with the interior of said compartment, a cooling element of a refrigerating system disposed in said chamber, means adapted to circulate air through said duct system forming means, means for operating said circulating means to cause same to circulate air from said compartment through the openings in one oi vsaid conduits into said chamber and over the cooling element therein to cool the air, and said circulating means forcing the air cooled by said element out oi said chamber into the other conduit and outwardly or the openings therein into said compartment whereby the cooled air ows transversely across said compartment in a plurality oi' streams along the length thereof. l

4. A dry bottled beverage storing and reirigu erating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinethaving a bottom, side and end walls forming an elongated open top compartment therein, a door or doors normally closing the open top of said compartment, means cooperating with the bottom wall oi said compartment and forming a duct system Within said cabinet, said duct system including a chamber extending transversely across the bottom of said compartment intermediate the ends thereof, said duct system including a iirst conduit extending longitudinally along the bottom wall of said compartment adjacent one of the side walls thereof and having its central portion connected to one end of ysaid chamber, said duct system including a second conduit extending longitudinally along the bottom wall of said compartment adjacent the other side wall thereof and having its central portion connected to the other end of said chamber, said compartment bottom wall having a plurality of apertures therein providing said vconduits with spaced apart openings communimeans for operating said circulating means.to

cause same to circulate air from-said compart` ment through the openings in one of said conduits into said chamber andover the cooling element therein to cool the air, and said circulating means forcing the air cooled by said element out of said chamber into the other conduit and outwardly of the openings therein into said compartment whereby the cooled air ows transversely across said elongated compartment in a plurality of streams along the length thereof.

5. A dry bottled beverage storing and refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet having a bottom, a top, side and end walls forming a horizontally elongated compartment therein, said cabinet having an opening therein providing access to said compartment, a door or doors normally closing said compartment access opening, means cooperating with the bottom wall of said horizontally elongated compartment and forming a duct system within said cabinet, said duct system including a chamber extending transversely across the bottom of 'said elongated compartment, said duct system including a first conduit extending longitudinally of the cabinet along the bottom of said horizontally elongated compartment, said rst conduit communicating with said compartment .and being connected to one end of said chamber, said duct system also including a second conduit extending 'longitudinally of the cabinet along the bottom of said horizontally elongated compartment in spaced apart relation to said first conduit, saidsecond conduit communicating with said compartment and being connected to the other end of said chamber, said compartment bottom wall having a plurality of apertures therein providing said conduits `with spaced apart openings communicating with the interior of said compartment, the apertures in said compartment bottom wall being of increased size relativeto one another in a direction from said chamber toward one end of said compartment, a cooling element of a refrigerating system disposed in said chamber, air circulating means disposed in said chamber, and means for operating said air circulating means to cause same to circulate air from said compartment through one of said conduits into said chamber and over the cooling element therein and for forcing the air cooled by said element out of said chamber through the other conduit into said compartment whereby the air ilows transversely across said horizontally elongated compartment.

LLOYD M. KEIGHLEY. 

